A shambolic batting display has turned Woodbury's season into a relegation dogfight as the 1st XI slipped to a fourth consecutive defeat, this time at home to Countess Wear by a margin of six wickets.
Losing the toss for the sixth time on the trot, it was no surprise that Woodbury were inserted with conditions damp and the pitch heavy, but the start given by skipper James Kavanagh and Tim Greenslade gave no indication of the calamities that lay ahead. They added 52 for the first wicket inside 15 overs, with Kavanagh scoring 35 (three fours and two sixes) and Greenslade 46 (five fours), the latter being eighth man out trying to salvage the innings. The total contribution from the remaining nine batsmen was 14 runs, of which five were extras, as the Asian influence of Kav Dias (five for 16) and Gurpreet Singh (four for 10) decimated Woodbury's order, with an intelligent mix of nippy swing from Dias and sharp off-breaks from Singh.
A target of 96 in 57 overs was never likely to trouble Countess Wear's strong batting line up, although opening bowlers James Taylor (two for 36) and Neil Richards (one for 18) caused enough problems to reduce the visitors to 34 for three. James Hope led the way with 34 (five fours), and it was that man Singh who finished the deal with 38no (five fours), as Wear reached 99 for four in 28.3 overs.
Having collected only 24 points from the last five matches, Woodbury enter a critical phase of the season over the next three weeks, as they face teams all threatened with relegation. First up is a visit to Cullompton, followed by home games against Lustleigh and Exeter Civil Service. Slip-ups in any of these games could prove curtains in the battle for survival in 'E' Division.
Countess Wear 19pts, Woodbury 2pts..